While most of the offseason focus has been on offense, Tulane got a nod for its defense with the release of the preseason Conference USA team.

Tulane linebacker Trent Mackey

Green Wave linebacker Trent Mackey made the all-conference team, which was released by the league office on Wednesday.

“Preseason, it’s always an honor to get awards,” Mackey said. “It makes me work even harder now that I’ve been put up for preseason all-conference and put on the (Rotary) Lombardi watch list. Hopefully there is more to come. I’m just turing it up and seeing how high I can go.”

Mackey, a Port Sulpur native, finished 2010 with 124 tackles (63 solo). The tally ranked third among C-USA players and 17th nationally. He notched 10-plus tackles in eight of 12 games, including a career-best 17 (10 solo, 7 assists) vs. Army, and earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors after making 13 tackles the first week of the season.

The Duke-transfer was the first player to record 100 tackles in a single season since 2005 when Anthony Cannon did it. His 124 tackles were the most since 2003 when Tra Boger recorded 133.

Mackey, a junior, said he has leaned up since the conclusion of the 2010 season and is completely healthy since struggled with nagging injuries throughout the fall.

“I’m feeling great,” Mackey said. “I was up to about 240 last season. Last season I was pretty heavy. I had a stomach. I dropped all the way to 220 and then I built back up. I weighed myself this morning and I’m back up to 231. I had to trim the body, change the body.”

Mackey was one of four linebackers named to the All C-USA first team along with SMU's Ja'Gared Davis, Marcus McGraw of Houston and Korey Williams of Southern Miss. Mackey said he is looking to “double” what he did last year. Tulane players begin fall camp Aug. 8.

“Next week I’m going to do a lot of speed stuff – no weights – and just get ready for camp,” Mackey said.

Destrehan grad Damarius Johnson, who plays receiver and kick/punt returner for Tulsa, was named the preseason Special Teams Player of the Year. Click here for the complete preseason conference team.